The best thing about social media is that we can be in the trenches with our audience. The worst thing about social media is that we have to be in the trenches with our audience. I know I’m not the only social media strategist working in higher education who lies awake at night wondering…Where are they now?

Is it a mistake to ask students, parents and alumni what they would change about an institution via social media? Matthew Anderson, new media coordinator at Western Washington University, doesn’t think so.

The St. Lawrence University alumni office launched “SLU in a Box”—a free, custom box filled with school spirit items for alumni and parents to use at gatherings. Posting it to Facebook increased alumni engagement by 126 percent.

“We are thinking about getting a Facebook page, and we’ve been told you can help us set it up.” Every time I get the above inquiry, I take it as an opportunity to take two steps back. Thinking about Facebook is a great gateway to conversations about social media, but it’s not necessarily the answer to everything.